Shoe-buttoning machine



L. J. VAN GUELPEN. SHOE BUTTONING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED APR.3, 1918.

Patented May 9, 1922.

'7 SHEETSSHEET l.

Fla. 1

L. J. VAN GUELPEN. SHOE BUTTONINGMACHINE.

' APPLICATION FILED APR- 3, I918- 1,415,737, Patented May 9, 1922.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Fiazz.

I INVENTOR.

L. 1. VA N GUELPEN. SHOE BUTTONING MACHINE) APPLICATION HLED APR. 3. I918. v 1,41 5,737. te ed May 9; 1922 I SHEETS-SHEET 4.

7/ M 1: 75 F/G.5

I N VEN or? L. J, VAN GUELPEN. SHOE BUTTONING MACHINE. APPLICATION man mm. 1918.

Patented May 9, 1922.

I SHEETS-SHEET a.

L. l. VAN GUELPEN.

SHOE BUTTONING MACHINE.

APPLICAHON FILED APR-3. 19m.

Patented May 9, 1922.

I SHEETSSHEET 6.

I.- J. VAN GUELPEN.

SHOE BUTTONING MACHINE. APPLICATION men APR-'3, 191a.

Patnted May 9,1922

7 SHEETS-SHEET I.

t es UNITED STATES PATENT en ries.

LOUIS J. VAN Gunmen, on CINCINNATI, ome.

sites-Burronine vmonmn.

To (1 whom it may concern Be it known that l, Louis J. VAN (irUEL- mm, a citizenYoit the United States, resid inn at Cincinnati, in the county oi: Hamil lasting" room, in order to maintain a uniform and proper, shape and contour to the shoe, during the progress of Inanutacturm By the process now in vogue,five buttons areusuallylmttoned by hand. It the shoe has a. smaller number at lnitt-ous, then less than live buttons are lnlttoi'led. l do this buttoniiu by niacliinei v.

ln carryiing out my invention, I provide means or tinge]: mechanism for grasping and holding the butttms on a button flyj and provide ineolninisn'i *torkuueninfi and closing said nieohauisrn arotmdthe buttons, and in oounection with this nieohanisni I provide means for pushing, the button fly over the buttons on the button tly. atlter thisis done l provide means l()]()1).lllll the finger lnerhanism tor grasping the buttons, after the flies have been lnittonetl and thenproville means 'ior iuishing the button. fly and the l'rutton hole fly, after they have been lnittoned together out o' the machine, and

after this is done I providemeans,tor reclosing; the means for grasping the buttons and operate the means which push the hut.

ton hole fly over the buttons on the button.

ti back to norn'ial position., for the next operation.

tuasuujich a s the space between the buttons, tron-reenter to center often varies, on acrount oi dilterenti'nakes of shoes, 1 proto a greater or lesser extent.

ton is stationary and the means For pushin the button hole fly oyerthe buttons movesupward and downward; upward to push the hntton lhole fly over the buttons and finally to expel the buttoned flies outof the machine and downwardly to normalposi- S peeifica tion of Letteis Ifatent. Patented Iflay 9 1922, Application filed April 3, 1918. Serial hi0. 226,544. i

l The various features of my invention and their uhantages will 'be readily apparent and rintlerstood 'irom the following specifiation and claims. i V

In the accompanying drawings; :torniin g;

part of this specification:

Fig. l," side View of the machine, talzen on the line l- 'i ofFig. 9;,

.lfig. E2, is a plan View of the machine, Fig; 3, is aside view of the machine, being theopposite side to that shown in Fig. 1, and partly broken away i M Fig.4: is a plan view 01' Fig.8, taken when looking. in direction of arrow, I Fig. 5, is a section taken on line 5-5 o'tl ig. 4;, l T i Fig. 6, is a section Fig. l l

his"; T. is a plan. View taken on line o1 Fig 5,

i Fig. 55.. section on line ht:' of Fig. 2. .liigi i 9.fisa front- View o'l one of the button fingers used by me, shown closed, in oonneotion with a pushing linger which oporatt-is therewith,

l ig'. ltlliis a plan View machine Sl'lUWltllg' Illltltll niechanisun l i Fig. 11 shows the same parts as Fig. 10.

taken. on line (36 of of the head of the pi'etoral'ile 'lorni of push exreptwthe vieuris taken from the "front.

loolrii'ig up at the nleehanii-n'n shown in said tigg ure,

Fig. 12, is a EltXflllOll on line lil--12 o'li l lie'. l1; l 'li'llllS broken away to show construction and some parts unseetionod,

l iu'. i3, is a view in elevation a nd a view in section of one oi the finger s:ipports Finals, a front elevation oitthe inschine Fig. 15, isa view in elevation of a button Wllll] the button claspinpg jaws closed and the pusher fingers fling .r and COllllGl'tlOllS,

.- fingers being shown closed, as they appear after expelling the button,

Fig. 20, is a view of the button fingers holding a button between them, in closed position,

Fig. 21, is a view of one side of a button finger, to show the top part, by which the button is clasped or grasped, and

Fig. 22, is a front view of one of the but ton fingers usedby me, shown'open, one pusher finger also shown and one omitted to to illustrate construction of finger.

I provide a body part in the form of a housing 1, preferably of a U shape, open at the rear, and supported on legs 2.

At the rear of the housing 1, I place a cam shaft 3 journaled in the side walls of said housing. On this shaft 3 I provide, within the housing, two cams 4 and 5. and on one outer end of said shaft I provide a third cam 6; on this shaft at the outer end.

where the cam 6 is located, I also provide a large gear wheel 7. On the drive shaft 8, at its inner end, I place a small gear wheel 9, which meshes with the large gear wheel 8. This drive shaft also carries a pulley wheel 10, to which a cylindrical sleeve 12, of a clutch mechanism is attached and which revolves with the pulley wheel. On shaft 8 I also rigidly attach two clutch collars 13 and-14, and collar 13 carries a stop finger 15, (see Fig. 1). This is all that need be stated as tothe construction of the clutch mechanism as it is commonly used; its purpose and use herein-will, however, be hereinafter referred to.

The cam 4t carries the two noses 16 and 17, (see Fig. 8,) and the cam 5 is of peculiar shape having two noses 18 and 19, (see Fig. 3). Near the front part of the machine, passing through the housing, and extending out at each end, I place a rock shaft 20, and at each end thereof I rigidly connect on said shaft the rock arms 21 and 22, which rock whensaid shaft is rocked. I also place on this rock shaft 20, a cam lever 23 which extends up over the cam 4:, and is provided with a cam roller 24: which rides the face ofthe cam 4, (see particularly Figs. 2 a nd 8).

This cam lever 23 is rigidly attached to the shaft 20 by screw 25, (see Fig. 8), and,

as the roller 24 passes over the noses 16 and 17 of cam 4, the shaft 20 is rocked up and down or oscillated forward and backward. I also place loosely on said shaft 20. a cam lever 26 which extends over the cum 5, and has a roller 27 which rides the face on said cam 5, (see Figs. 2 and At the forward part of the machine, on top of the housing 1, I rigidly attach the head 28. This head is provided with gihs or guide ways 29 and 30. in which the finger supports 63 slide, and which will be hereinafter described. At the back end of head 28 I provide two bearings 31. through which I pass the two sliding shafts 32. which at the lower ends are rigidly connected to a cross bar 33, and at the upper parts are rigidly attached to a cross bar 34;. From the cross bar 33, depends a stud 35 carrying at its extremity a roller 36, which rides on cam lever 26. On one side of the housing 1. I place a spring bracket 37, a spring 38 extending therefrom up to the lower cross bar 33, (see Fig. 2).

On the cross-bar 34 I attach two forwardly and downwardly extending arms 39, to the forward ends of which I attach two cross bars 10, (see particularly Fig. 5). and on these cross bars 40 I place the pusher finger bar 11, having openings or holes 4-2 The preferred form of this pusher mechanism or device is shown in 9. 10. 11 and 12, in which I show pusher fingers formed of two pins 42 and 13, one higher than the other, as shown. These push fingers are each mounted on a sliding support 4:41, which enables them to move laterally as the button fingers pass through them. which operation will be hereinafter set forth.

On the bottom side of head 28. toward the rear thereof, I rigidly attach. two shafts 45 on which bearings 46 slide. to which are rigidly attached two cross bars 4:7, (see 1 and 3).

On each of the slide bearings 4-6 I place pins 18, arms 1-9 extending from these pins to the rock arms 21 and 22, being loosely at tached at each end, so that working movement is allowed to said rock arms. On one side a coiled pull spring 50 extends from the rock arm 22 to a pin 51 on the housing, (see particularly Fig.

I will now describe one of the button fingers of which there are five, in the present instance. These button fingers are each (011 posed of two aws 50 and two arms made integral therewith, and e'qtending downwa d and pivoted by pivot screws 52 to upper and forward end of a housing 53 having a depending hollow stem 54 around which is placed a collar 55, the parts being held together by a nut 56. (see Figs. 5 and 9).

Through the hollow downwardly extending stem 54, I pass the shaft 57 having a cone shaped head 58, (see Fig. 5). threaded at its extremity to receive the nuts 59, haw

ing between them a slide block 60. At the 1 0 I will. now describe the linger SllIJlDOlllS which hold the button linger housings 53 in position. These finger supports are numbered and are slotted at (54: and 65; the

button finger l'iousing stems fi l passes through slots 65 and through slots 64; pass the adjusting lever pins which will be lescribed later. On the pulley side of the machine, the finger support 68 has slot 65 only this finger support being stationary and the others movable.

When the housing stems 5 :1; pass through the slots 65 they are held in position by the collars 55 and nuts 56 the collars impii'igring against the under side oithe finger sup ports 63. In this manner the housing 5?) and connections 'l'ornring the button linger mechanism. and carrying the luitton lingers 50 can he laced at the desired radius, by unscrewing and retightening the nuts 56. The button linger housing supports es support and carry the button linger mechanisuu and can he slid to right or lelit in the we? or gribs 29 and ill) in the horusinp- '.l.his must be done in order to operate 111 co11nection with shoes in which the button holes are differently spaced, that is. the space be tween the button holes from center to center varies It was betfor stated that one ot the button finger supports is station arv and for convenience this one marked (12-3 the other four move away from and toward said member 63 This adjustment of the linger housing supports 63, adjusts the lingers and linger mechal'lism, that is, when said housing supports are moved. to the left or right. the fingers are also moved likewise.

This adjustment operation is as follows: Each of the four finger supports have slots 64:, through which lever pins 66am passerh and are all on a center line of the finger supports 0 63. On the lower end of each of these pins 66. are rigidly connected one end of crank levers 67. and the lower end. of each crank lever is a fulcrum bearing; pin 68., rigidly attached, (see Figs. 5 mill 12). These crank levers 6'? are oil'- different lengthe the shortest one attached to finger support next to the stationary linger support 63, and becoming-longer as they are spaced therefrom, (see particularly Fig. 6). These levers 67 are made longer as set forth. in order that when the finger supports 63 are spaced they will maintain an equal distance from center to center, no matter to what extentthey are moved apartor brought together, and also holding the same distance with the stationary linoer support 68 [it 11] he: in; pins 68, l rigidly attach the can a: levers 69 and at their lmver ends I place lever pins ill, (see Fig. 12). which pass through hand adjust-- ingr lido lever ill. by means Oil holes 72.3, which. has a beari. w "3 at each end ol housing- 28. (see Figs. 5 and 7).

All these crank levers 69 are oi? the sauna length, and hand slidinglever "ll oi? peculiar shape, shown in. lli 7. in order to conliornl with the irregular centers of" 'l ulcrrnn pins 68, to enable the proper spacing as z-rbove set forth.

The laroe 'eu'r drives the earn shai't fl portion Tel. In connection with cam 6, l operate a pusher bar passing through ljlearing 76, having a groove its forward end and at its rear end is rounded as shown at T8; the bearing); 76 is secured to pulley side oli housing It. On the pulley ol? the housing l, at its upper portion, 1 rigidly connect a bracket arrn ill (see llig. 2) and from the outer end. of this bracket arm. I lulm'uul at :50 a depeiulilur clutch stop lever 8i, which operates in coniuction with pin 153 on clutch mechanism. l roiu this lever s1. near its lower end. l secure a linger ea. which operates in connection with the puslilerbar 75 when the machine is operating.

The lever 8t and the f uxer Hi3 are also operated lirv loot power. whicl'i nn-zchauisiu l will now describe.

itt trout and lower end o" housing 1. 1 place an oscillating; treadle sha'lt 82-5 which passe thrmuglr the lee of the housing; 1.

at its left raider. small lever 84k rip;- idl'y connected thereto. To this lever I at tach a treadle in any desired manner (not slioui'i) this treadle nilern'is bcin held up by spring 85 connerdJed to a pin 80 at its upper end. v

.lt its opposite end the trearille shalt has a lever ll? rip rd tl'ereto and or; tendin upw hr 11 l which hoot over the pin n 811.11g extends t 1n the fulcrum. point 90, ot hook and lever 87. toward the other end ol said hook 88. r: any; on its upper edgre and c iing; a downwr preset e on sale l .;u the pulle veule ot the hour. l l 1:, gr attach iu ilrout ol? bracket arm .9. an outwardly and down'i'vardly extending; bracket ill. haruur at lower extremity a foot 92 carrying; an ad .stinp; screw 93. through which the throw out motion oil. hook 88 is regulated.

The lever 88 has an incline or inclined portion 1.50 (see Fig l), and the screw 93 rides neutral on the straight surface of lever 88 at its fulcrum end and when the foot exertion upon the treadle pulls the lever 87 backward, which in turn pulls the lever 88. in the same direction, the lever 88, which is riding on screw 93, will be pushed upward and be disengaged from pin 82 by the rise of the incline and as the foot pressure is removed, the spring 85, pushes levers 87 and 88 back into normal position, this allows lever 88 to ride off of the incline over the screw 93 and engages its back end over the pin 82.

On the bracket arm 79 near its outer edge, I rigidly connect a peculiar shaped spring bracket 94,, to which one end of a spring 95 is attached, the opposite end of said spring being attached to the stop lever 81.

A hearing 96 is attached to housing 1 on the pulley side, which supports the drive shaft. On the housing 1 near bearing 96, I rigidly connect a bracket 97 which carries a spring pawl 98, which operates in ratchet teeth 99 in clutch collar 14.

The spring pawl is rigidly connected at 100 on bracket 97, (see Fig. 1). On the pulley side of housing 1, near its forward end, I rigidly connect a stop pin 101, which extends out towards the pulley and limits the motion of lever 87. The spring pawl 98 is used for the following purpose; when the clutch mechanism is stopped, the spring pawl 98 drops into one of the three recesses 99 and thus keeps the collar 14 from rebounding and thus allows binding rolls (of usual construction in this class of clutches) in the clutch 96 from binding on the outer collar or wall 12, thus allowing the fly wheel to be free.

The shoe upper is marked 102, the button hole fly is marked 103, button fly 10s, the button holes 105 and the buttons 106.

The shoe upper, button hole fly, button fly, button holes and buttons are shown to advantage in Figs. 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19, particularly in Fig. 17.

It will be noted that one pusher finger is higher than the other; and this is done to better enable said pusher fingers to push the button hole fly over the buttons on the button fly when the buttons grasped and held by the button finger mechanism, so that there will be no strain upon the button holes, as by this operation the button fingers push up on one side of the button hole first and when this side; has been-partly raised, the other pusher finger pushes up on its side, thus no undue strain will result.

Each of the button grasping and holding fingers is provided with an oval slot 10' at the top or head; the sides of the button entering into these slots as the fingers are brought together to grasp the button, thus buttons of varying diameter can be grasped and held by the button holding fingers.

When it is desired to operate the machine, the button hole fly 103, is placed onto the closed button clasping fingers 50, as shown in Fig. 15, that is. the operator places the live button holes 105, over the said button clasping fingers; the operator then exerts pressure on a foot treadle which releases the clutch and allows the drive shaft 8 to make one revolution, which in turn moves cam shaft 3, one fourth of a revolution and by reason of cum 4 being attached to cum shaft 3 which also revolves one fourth of a revolution, thus allowing cam lever 23,:1nd roller 2 1 to ride oil of the nose 16 of cam t, which turns shaft 20 in a downward direction and, by reason of lovers and 22 and links 4.9 and bearings 4&6 on studs 45 pulls down the cross bars 17 to which are attached the shafts 57, with cone shaped heads 58, causes (shafts 57 and cone shaped heads 58) to be pulled downward, which in turn allows arms 51 attach d to button clasping fingers 50 to close; thus opening the two button clasping jaws 50 to receive the buttons; at this point the machine automatically stops and trees the clutch allowing the pulley wheel 10 to revolve freely, the movements of this operation result in the positioning of the parts as shown in Fig. 16. The fingers are now open as shown in Fig. 16 ready to re ceive the buttons and now the operator takes the button fly 10a and pulls it up and over, and then enters the buttons into the open finger 50, as shown in Fig. 17; he then causes a pressure on the foot treadle of the machine which again operates the clutch, causing the drive shaft 8 to revolve three complete revolutions and then automatically stopping same, these revolutions in turn drive the cam shaft 3 and cams 4:, 5 and 6 which are rigidly attached thereto to revolve three quarters of a revolution; during the first quarter turn of the cam shaft of the three quarter movement of the shaft 3, the cams 4-. and 5 revolve into a position to allow the cam levers and 26 and rollers 24 and 27 to ride up on the noses 17 and 18, thus causing rocl: shaft 20 to rock or move upward and move levers 21 and 22 with links 4:9 bearings as on its studs to move upward also, thus pushing the shafts 57 with cone heads 58 up between the lower end o'l. arms 51, thus spreading these arms 51 below and causing the button fingers to close around the button; at the same time cam 5 which is revolved allows cam lever 26 and cam roller 27 to ride up on nose 18, thus moving cam lever 26 upward, and this lever being fulcrunied on rock shaft 20 causes roller 36 and roller stud 35 (rigidly connected to bar 33), having at its outer ends the shafts 32 passing through bearings 31 which have at their top, a bar 34 rigidly attached thereto, to which bar there are atv tached, two downwardly extending bars 39,

and to these bars 39 there are attached two cross bars 40, these cross bars 10 are hearing bars for the slides 44 which carry the 5, the above and before described parts are all pushed up placing the piuiher fingers 42 and 43 against the button holi i'ly i023, thus beginning to push the button hole fly over the button. lingers 51') which are now clasped aroundfthe button, which is shown in Fl 18. Upon. the next (lllttI'lX-H." turn oil? the above stated; three quarter turn oi? shall;- it the :lollowiing opm'ation results, to wit: the pusher fingers continue to push the button hole fly 103 over the closed button line 50 as they are holding the buttons, this up ard movement continues until the top of the pusher fingers is above the top of the button clasping fingers 50; and now during the lastiquarter turn of the three quarter turn oil'r cam shaft 3,, the cam roller 24- is caused to ride ofi' oi? the nose 1? on cam l: thus releasing the shafts 5"? with cone shaped heads 58, allowing the button fingers 50 to be opened, thus releasingthe but too; and now cam roller 27 rides up on nose 19 of cam 5 thus continuing to push fingers 42 and 4L3 in slide blootsll; illj'Wltl'tl and pushing the button fly and the buttons out of and away from fingers 50; the fingers are still open and they must be ClOSL-ltl tor the beginning of the next operation and this is done by'rcason of cam roller 24 riding up on nose 16 of cam 41-, again pushingthe shafts 57 with cone point heads 58 up into and between arms 51 causing the fii'igtirjzrrrt; 50 to close; the next operation is to bring the pusher fingers 42 and 43 and ide blochs at back to normal positions and H s is done by cam roller 27 riding off oil? nose l9 oi" cam thus allowing the cam roller 32 on stud 35 to drop which pulls down the 'iusher fingers 42 and 43 and slide blocks 4st to DOIIIlttl position; this completes the last quarter turn of the three quarter turn of shatlit 3; and at i this point the clutch is automatically stopped and the pulley Wheel is free to revolve.

It 'Will be understood that this machine may be so arranged that it can be operated by hand insteadof by power, and that it may be used for buttoning any other il'orrn or kind of material which must be buttoned the same as the flies of shoes, which may be used for some other purpose.

From the above description, it will be seen that my new shoe buttoninn; machine, constructed according to my invention, is oi? an inexpensive and simple nature consider. the Work done, and it is especially well odap ved tor the purpose :lor which. it is designed, and it will also be obvious from the above de scription, that the same is capable oi: cousiderable modification without material departure from the principle and spirit oi the in-- vention, and for this reason it w'h-xh to be understood as not limiting myself to the precise term and arrangementoi the several parts oi? the mechanism as herein set forth, in carryii'igr out my invention in practice, and l, wish to be understood that sucl'i modifications will still "liall within the scope oil? my invention.

l t'hat ll claim as new and my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent ll. ln a shoe butto l. nnichine, initial means for s i'iine and holding the lnittons on the but on lly and means tor pushing]; the button hole fly over the buttons to c ,nnect with them, said llltfttlli' lso releasing the buttons and the buttoned l lies from. the machine.

it in a shoe ind-toning; niachii'ie, stationan initial iiu-ians :l or gras 'iinp and holdingthe luittons on a button fly and means tor forcing; the lnitton hole :tly toward the button ti so that the button holes will pass over the buttons, the means for :l oreinp the button hole lily over the buttons, initially pus-thingy and operatin on one side oi the button hole and then upon the other side tiller-eel".

3. In a shoe huttonin r machine, means for grasping; and holding lJl'l' lllOllfi on a but ton fly, and upnou'dly and downwardly THOV- ing means for iioii'cing the button hole fly over the buttons oi the button i'ly, said last named means also ttorcing the l'llIlttOl'lGfl flies out of the machine.

'4. In a shoe buttoning machine, stationary initial means :lor grasping and ltiolding the head of a button on a button fly, and means for :lorcinp; ticbutton hole fly over the buttons oi the button ily, the means for grasping and holding the heads of the buttons capable oi adjustment,

5. in a shoe lnittlining machine, means for grasping and hohflingg; the buttons on a button :tly, and means for -.liorcinp; the button hole :lly over the buttons oil the button f y, the latter means consisting; oi two separate rclatiy ly unmovable work engaging parts, one higher than the other.

6, In a shoe buttoi'iinp; machine, stationary initial means ilior receiving; and graspinn and holoinir the buttons on a button fly, and means tor forcing the button hole fly over the buttons of: the button fly, said means for grasping and holding the buttons on the l: itton fly capable of adjustment so that buttons having varying spaces between them may be buttoned.

l in a .:hoe buttonii'i machine, stationary initial means :lfor and holding); the buttons on a but on fly, and means for forcing the button hole fly over the buttons oi the butti'm 'l ly, said means all capable of adjustment, enabling; the machine to opei at on buttons-i Varying; in, space from center to center,

8, In a shoe buttoninn machine, initial stationary means tlfor receiving and -graspary means for holding and supporting a ing and holding the buttons on a button fly,

ing and holding the head of each of the buttons on a button fly, and means for forcing the button hole fly over the buttons of the button fly, the latter means operating out- I side the former means.

11. In a shoe buttoning machine, stationbutton hole fly through the button holes thereof, said means also grasping and supporting the buttons on a button fly and means for buttoning said flies.

12. In a shoe buttoning machine, stationary means for holding and supporting a button hole fly through the button holes thereof, said means also grasping and supporting the buttons 011 a button fly simultaneously and means for buttoning said flies.

13. In a shoe buttoning machine, stationary fingers or supporting and holding a button hole fly and also capable of receiving, grasping and holding the buttons on a button fly and means for buttoning said flies together.

14:. In a shoe buttoning machine, stationary means over which button holes on the button fly are manually placed to support the work, said means also capable of receiving, grasping and holding buttons on the button fly to support the same in the machine, and means for buttoning said flies together and for expelling the buttoned flies out of the machine.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

LOUIS J. VAN G'UELPEN. 

